Posts tagged with "Helsinki":

The Guggenheim will launch a competition in early June to design their new branch in Helsinki. Working alongside the Finnish Association of Architects, the Foundation is seeking proposals for a currently vacant site alongside the city’s South Harbor. The competition comes three years after the city expressed interest in a Guggenheim outpost. But, according to the Art Newspaper, despite the competition, a new branch is not certain. The paper reported, “The Guggenheim announced that a decision to go ahead with the project would be taken after the architectural competition is completed." The competition comes as the Guggenheim faces heated backlash for their planned museum in Abu Dhabi, which has a dismal record on workers’ rights.

Punctured and illuminated, an oil silo on the Helsinki coastline has been recast as a permanent art installation. Silo 468 was commissioned in part to commemorate the city's 2012 appointment as a World Design Capital. Madrid-based Lighting-Design Collective were brought to the Finish city for the drastic transformation project. A pattern of perforations coats the former silo. Horizontal bands of perforations wrap around the exterior, intersected by irregular vertical streaks whose path follows that of the patterns of rust that once consumed the metal exterior. By day sun pierces through to dapple the interior of the space with ever-shifting shadows. On the outside of the structure LED lights nestled in each opening produce shimmering effects that mirror the play of light on the surface of the surrounding water.
Once night falls the building acts as a canvas for a dramatic light show generated by the area's prevailing winds, a move that is not without precedent in lighting design. The ebb and flow of this display is meant to recall the movements of flocks of birds that frequent the seaside location. Harnessed by custom software that responds to its environment, the organic engine driving the light shows means that no pattern will ever repeat itself. The red paint that coats the inside of the building tinges the light show in order to create a distinct viewing experience for visitors to the inside of the building. Located in Kruunuvuorenranta district, the 52 foot silo is visible from central Helsinki.

The famed stage designer Robert Wilson is trying his hand at park design with a new commission in Helsinki dedicated to the memory of the designer Tapio Wirkkala, according to The Art Newspaper. The rectangular park--a garden, really--will be divided into nine rooms, each symbolizing different domestic spaces. One outdoor room, for example, will feature a small fireplace surrounded by stone seating.
Only in the Nordic countries would a designer known for his delicate and textured glassware for Iittala (see below) be honored with a public park. The park, which is expect to open next year, will be located in the Arabianranta district of Helsinki, home to the Iittala factory as well as the Aalto University School of Architecture and Design.

The Guggenheim could be headed to the land of a thousand lakes. Helsinki's Mayor Jussi Pajunen announced today that the city is commissioning the venerable museum to conduct a concept and development study to be completed by the end of the year to determine the potential museum's economic impact and mission.
Citing major development gains in recent years, city leaders hope to cash in on the international recognition of the Guggenheim that could spur their own Bilbao-effect."It is widely recognized that cultural destinations can help drive economic growth for a country," said Mayor Pajunen in a release. "This is a collaboration that can help Helsinki and Finland prosper in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world."
Beyond mere finances, though, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the Helsinki are in search of a museum for the 21st century capable of international sharing. The Guggenheim's Richard Armstrongsays, "For the Guggenheim, this study with Finland is a very compelling opportunity to continue our investigations into the possibilities of global interchange"
Once complete, the study's recommendations must be reviewed by both Helsinki and the Guggenheim Foundation before any architecture is involved.
[ Original photo courtesy Paul Allais/flickr. ]